Translator Survey Results

Relevant, Recent & Reliable Insight into the Language Industry

In this day and age, few things are as valuable as information. Relevant, recent, and reliable insight into our industry helps us understand where we stand, and where we should go next. In the case of Language Services Providers like Day Translations, our work relies on an international network of language experts: our translators, interpreters, and localization professionals.

According to 2018 data from Eurostat, there are approximately 200 thousand translators in the European Union. Meanwhile, Statista reports that last year the number of linguists in the United States surpassed 58 thousand. But it’s worth moving the conversation beyond just numbers. As members of the language industry, we should dive deeper into who these professionals are, and how we can help them deliver their best work.

That’s why, last year, our team surveyed over 400 linguists working in the US. We aggregated the results into a report that’s straightforward and easy to digest. A dynamic read that’s more a toolkit than a thesis. We asked them about everything, from how they acquired their skills to what they value most in their profession. Some of our key findings are related to industry specialization and professional versatility.

We had some surprises, such as which is the most challenging part of being a translator according to our respondents. On the other hand, some results only confirmed what we already knew from working in the industry. For instance, the fact that most linguists working in the United States (34.35% of respondents) specialize in English > Spanish translation.

Conducted in June of 2019, this is one of the most recent reports on translation work you could find. And it’s available in the form of a free e-book, which you can download by filling out the form below.

This survey may be of your interest if you are:

• An executive at an LSP who’s gathering data on translation trends.
• A member of the HR department at an LSP.
• An aspiring linguist, looking for real insight into the ins-and-outs of the profession.
• A translator planning to transform their career within the industry.
• An instructor at an institution training future linguists.